2002 Ford Mustang Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Mustang years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 25th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 118 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Ford Mustang. That ranks 25th out of 32 Mustang model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (22 complaints, 19%), typically at around 30,250 miles. Complaints mention 19 crashes, 6 fires, 11 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 118owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 19complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Ford Mustang problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 22 | 19% | 30,250 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 20 | 17% | 35,600 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 15 | 13% | 31,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 13 | 11% | 62,250 | — | — |
| Structure | 10 | 8% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 9 | 8% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 8 | 7% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 7 | 6% | 39,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 7 | 6% | 21,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 5% | 19,468 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 4% | 6,936 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 4% | 18,367 | — | — |
| Visibility | 5 | 4% | 35,895 | — | — |
| Engine | 4 | 3% | 148,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 3% | 87,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 3% | 49,068 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 3% | 108,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 2% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Ford Mustang recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2002 Ford Mustang.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Spark plug ejection from cylinder head (DP05005) — opened Sep 22, 2005, closed Jan 4, 2006.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
On or about 01/28/2023 I purchased a 2002 Ford Mustang GT for a N.J. used car dealer. I was assured by the sales person that the Mustang had been thoroughly inspected and there were no mechanical problems whatsoever. Upon delivery of the Mustang, that had only 68,886 miles, I took the Mustang for a…
No
The fuel pump in my 2002 3.8l mustang stopped working. When i lowered the gas tank to replace it, i found that the plastic part the fuel pump/sending unit sets down into is offset from the hole and the fuel pump/sending unit can not be removed without breaking the part that it sets down into. So…
While idling my car suddenly had cylinder #3 misfire and the spark plug blow out of the cylinder head.
Ten minutes prior to air bags deploying i complained to my two passengers that my eyes were burning. I was stopped in traffic, with my foot on brake in center lane in city traffic, when i hear a loud bang and instantly both airbags on driver and passenger side deployed. The noise and force startled…
Other Ford Mustang years
← 2001 Mustang · 2003 Mustang →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Mustang | 8 | 5 |
| 2025 Mustang | 19 | 6 |
| 2024 Mustang | 84 | 12 |
| 2023 Mustang | 15 | 6 |
| 2022 Mustang | 50 | 9 |
| 2021 Mustang | 55 | 6 |
| 2020 Mustang | 120 | 8 |
| 2019 Mustang | 150 | 6 |
| 2018 Mustang | 195 | 3 |
| 2017 Mustang | 267 | 6 |
| 2016 Mustang | 379 | 5 |
| 2015 Mustang | 438 | 11 |
| 2014 Mustang | 359 | 3 |
| 2013 Mustang | 271 | 5 |
| 2012 Mustang | 469 | 6 |
| 2011 Mustang | 466 | 4 |
| 2010 Mustang | 261 | 5 |
| 2009 Mustang | 181 | 5 |
| 2008 Mustang | 347 | 5 |
| 2007 Mustang | 615 | 5 |
| 2006 Mustang | 424 | 5 |
| 2005 Mustang | 705 | 5 |
| 2004 Mustang | 116 | 1 |
| 2003 Mustang | 145 | 1 |
| 2002 | 118 | 0 |
| 2001 Mustang | 173 | 1 |
| 2000 Mustang | 311 | 2 |
| 1999 Mustang | 213 | 3 |
| 1998 Mustang | 236 | 4 |
| 1997 Mustang | 176 | 2 |
| 1996 Mustang | 246 | 3 |
| 1995 Mustang | 602 | 5 |
See all Ford Mustang problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
Similar Ford models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Ford Mustang?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, air bags, vehicle speed control problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 22 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Ford Mustang?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2002 Ford Mustang a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Mustang model years, the 2002 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.